The Penn men's track team will look to start off the new year right when it travels to Annapolis, Md., this weekend for a tri-meet with Navy and William and Mary. The Quakers hope it will be the first step toward another successful winter track campaign.
"It represents a kicking off of the indoor season," senior Joe Plevelich said. "We're looking to get cob webs out, get some good times in and get back into the mix of things."
It certainly should be a step the Quakers are itching to take. The team has been idle since Dec. 7, when they turned in a strong effort at the Princeton Holiday Classic.
That meet, however, was more of a preseason exhibition. The Quakers got the chance to examine some of their young talent and give the veteran athletes a taste of competition. Saturday's meet expects to be more serious.
"It's definitely an important meet, but it's not our ultimate focus," Plevelich said. "It really is our first step toward the [Heptagonal] and NCAA Championships."
The Quakers' strengths this season lie in the running events. Seniors Matt Wedge and Chris Edmonds bring their wealth of experience to the sprints, while the middle distances will receive a big boost from newcomers Courtney Jaworski and Carson Schmiett. Both runners did not hesitate to make an impact at the Holiday Classic as Jaworski, a sophomore transfer student from Georgetown, won the 100-meter, and Schmiett, a freshman, placed second in the 500-meter dash.
The addition of Jaworski and Schmiett should provide the Quakers with much-needed depth at middle distance, something that is magnified in indoor track due to relays.
"In the past, we've had some real quality guys at the position, but not really the quantity," Plevelich said. "This year, it seems we have both."
The Quakers will need to score points in all events, however, if they expect to win on Saturday. William and Mary expects to have a solid core of distance runners, while Navy will be eager to defend its home turf. The Midshipmen also have the advantage of having already competed in a meet this January.
"For us, it is just a matter of going in, feeling it out, and going after it," Plevelich said.
